Remote hearings were disrupted on 20 October 2026 during problems affecting Google Cloud services, the Law Society Gazette reported. The incident is a useful reminder to prepare for a failure of the platform as well as a problem with an individual laptop.
Prepare a hearing contact sheet
Before the hearing, keep the court or tribunal’s contact details, case reference, hearing time, platform instructions and the supervising lawyer’s number together. Store them in an approved place that remains accessible if the normal email or case-management system is unavailable.
Include the route for contacting counsel and the client. Decide who will make each call so that several people do not send contradictory messages.
Test the normal route early
HMCTS advises participants to carry out the requested CVP joining check promptly. Its guidance also says to tell the court immediately if technical support cannot resolve a problem. Follow the instructions for the platform named in the hearing notice; not every hearing uses CVP.
When a connection fails
- Note the time, the platform and the error message.
- Tell the supervising lawyer promptly and use the court contact route given for the case.
- Keep a short record of attempted calls, messages and any instructions received.
- Do not tell a client that the hearing is cancelled simply because the link will not open.
A different internet connection may help a local connectivity problem, but it will not repair a service-wide outage. Avoid spending the whole hearing time repeatedly changing device settings without escalating the issue.
Keep the fallback secure
Agree in advance how an authorised lawyer can access essential documents if the usual system fails. Do not move bundles to personal email or an unapproved sharing service to save time. Any alternative attendance or document-sharing arrangement should follow the court’s instructions and the firm’s procedures.
Afterwards, record the outcome, circulate any revised arrangements and check the diary with the responsible lawyer. This is administrative preparation, not a substitute for their decision on the conduct of the case.
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